http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/index...eID=144778

One year deal as Fox will include it in TV negotiations going forward, but its a sign that Fox will continue to be a player on the college landscape. The game itself is worth $14.5 million and Fox is paying an additional $10 million for another obligation (maybe something FSN owes the conference).

Just moved this from the CUSA TV thread to here as it was announced while I was writing it.

Here's my take on the TV situation. First and foremost, after the experience that TCU has gone through, I do not trust CBS or Comcast/NBC to ever produce a viable cable competitor to ESPN. I just don't believe in Comcast/NBC getting Versus the amount of exposure it will need to leave ESPN. Unless ESPN is asking the Big East to play on Tues & Wed night (like they asked the MWC) we can't afford to leave them right now.

HOWEVER, here's what I'm seeing in from this Fox move. I think the Big Ten is getting ready to make a play to move from ESPN/ABC to Fox completely. Why? Fox is their partner in the Big Ten Network. Fox outbid ABC for their Championship Game. The Big Ten has the power in both football and basketball to leave ESPN completely and still demand ESPN's attention.

On the other coast, the Pac 12 will end up partnering with Fox for their network and make the same move. Notice in the article that it says Pac 12 Championship and other game inventory that is the result of the conference’s expansion from 10 teams to 12. You'll end up seeing Big Ten and Pac 12 games on Fox nationally, FX and FSN on cable. Remember, these two conferences still attach themselves at the hip all too often.

My gut tells me that when the Big Ten & Pac 12 leave ESPN, the worldwide leader will come to the Big East and Big 12-2 to fill those empty slots.

I'm wondering if the "other game inventory" is an extra $10.5 million for one year so that FOX can get more FSN windows than the 18 it currently has. With expansion comes more games available to televise, and it might be an incremental bump.

Also, I'm thoroughly convinced that F/X is going to end up with some games.

That may be the case.

Something that jumps out right now is what ESPN/ABC has lost in the final week of the season:

Dec 4, 2010 ESPN/ABC

• Big 12 Championship
• ACC Championship
• CUSA Championship
• Pac 10 final week
• Big East final week
• Any Big Ten OOC games (ex. Illinois at Fresno)
  

Dec 4, 2011 ESPN/ABC

• ACC Championship
• Big 12(-2) final week
• Big East final week
  

Texas, Texas A&M, and Oklahoma have made it clear that the Red River Shootout and A&M/Texas games will not move from mid October and Thanksgiving respectively. That means the best the Big 12 may be able to offer is Bedlam (OU/OSU) or OU/A&M, Texas/Tech, A&M/Tech, KU/Mizzou during the final weekend.

The Big East needs to move all of its rivalry and major games to the final weekend and take up as much of ESPN/ABC's slots as possible. Backyard Brawl, Keg of Nails, and UConn/Syracuse need to all be on the final weekend.

http://www.pac-10.org/News/tabid/863/Art...-game.aspx

Fox did secure more football and men's basketball games for FSN with the $10.5 million they paid. Six more football games, ten more basketball.

I don't see the Big Ten moving completely to Fox. I could see them moving their top game of the week to it like the SEC does with CBS. Unlike Frank (first one I heard suggest it), I'm not convinced that's the conference's goal, but I could see it if the offer is right. The middle tier games are still going to be better served on ESPN though and I'd be very surprised if they went elsewhere.

One random thought: I bet the MAC ends up moving their CCG from Friday to Saturday as a result of this.

Lets get enough teams for a Big East championship. There are at least two teams besides Nova that can offer enough to make the addition worth while. Especially if these two teams bring in great TV markets

(01-06-2011 01:18 PM)mattsarz Wrote:  Also, I'm thoroughly convinced that F/X is going to end up with some games.

that would be great. It would force Comcast and Turner to step up, because theach of their top cable NEtworks (USA and TBS respectively) are in a constant fight with F/X to win the prime time ratings race. This kind of move could put F/X over the top, and force Comcast and/or Turner to get some football and/or basketball to regain the edge. Both networks have shown colelge football and college basketball in the past.

My feelings on FOX is that they may be great for one-off games like a championship game or tournament, but I would want absolutely no part of them for a regular season package since they have no true dedicated channel they can turn into a sports channel to come close to rivaling ESPN. Let's face it. The Big 12's popularity is the result of their package with ESPN, not the games FOX showcases them in.

CBS has the channel, but not the inclination.

I'd loved to keep with ESPN, but let's face it, we will never be their top priority. So while the $$$ will be better, it won't come close to what others are getting and for football it will be week night games or bust.

Still think that leaves NBC/Comcast, IF they truly want to get involved with college athletics, as the most likely suitor for the Big East.

Hope I'm wrong about FOX, since the more suitors the better. But their coverage in the east sucks. http://msn.foxsports.com/home/page/fsn. And it's focus remains on pro sports. As an eastern college athletics league, I'd definitely be weary of that.

Cheers,
Neil

(01-06-2011 06:18 PM)omnicarrier Wrote:  Hope I'm wrong about FOX, since the more suitors the better. But their coverage in the east sucks. http://msn.foxsports.com/home/page/fsn. And it's focus remains on pro sports. As an eastern college athletics league, I'd definitely be weary of that.

That page lists the Fox-owned FSNs. That map is misleading as it leaves one to believe NY isn't covered by an FSN affiliate. It is however as MSG Plus is the FSN affiliate for that area. Same w/Philadelphia as Comcast SportsNet is their affiliate.

In fact, NESN isn't an FSN affiliate, CSN New England is. FoxSports.com and NESN have a digital partnership for news sharing.

FSN affiliates covering the Northwest, Pittsburgh/western PA and the Rocky Mountains are owned by DirecTV, and Comcast owns several (Philadelphia, Chicago, New England, Baltimore/DC and northern California).

One other things about F/X is that they will have a couple sports events next year as it will carry two of the four semifinal matchups from the UEFA's Champions League

http://www.epltalk.com/fox-renews-uefa-c...2015-27693

(01-06-2011 01:14 PM)Metropolis777 Wrote:  Just moved this from the CUSA TV thread to here as it was announced while I was writing it.

Here's my take on the TV situation. First and foremost, after the experience that TCU has gone through, I do not trust CBS or Comcast/NBC to ever produce a viable cable competitor to ESPN. I just don't believe in Comcast/NBC getting Versus the amount of exposure it will need to leave ESPN. Unless ESPN is asking the Big East to play on Tues & Wed night (like they asked the MWC) we can't afford to leave them right now.

HOWEVER, here's what I'm seeing in from this Fox move. I think the Big Ten is getting ready to make a play to move from ESPN/ABC to Fox completely. Why? Fox is their partner in the Big Ten Network. Fox outbid ABC for their Championship Game. The Big Ten has the power in both football and basketball to leave ESPN completely and still demand ESPN's attention.

On the other coast, the Pac 12 will end up partnering with Fox for their network and make the same move. Notice in the article that it says Pac 12 Championship and other game inventory that is the result of the conference’s expansion from 10 teams to 12. You'll end up seeing Big Ten and Pac 12 games on Fox nationally, FX and FSN on cable. Remember, these two conferences still attach themselves at the hip all too often.

My gut tells me that when the Big Ten & Pac 12 leave ESPN, the worldwide leader will come to the Big East and Big 12-2 to fill those empty slots.

The added competition among TV networks will be good for the Big East. It cannot help but increase the TV contracts the Big East will garner. Plus the new Big East TV network will be coming online in a couple years which will add even more money to the league's schools.
Regardless of whether the other conferences leave ESPN, the fact that Fox is trying to increase their college TV product is good news for all the conferences as it will increase competition on the TV contracts.